The Living World
❖ DIVERSITY IN THE LIVING WORLD
● Each different kind of plant, animal or organism that we
see,represents a species.
● The number of species that are known and described
ranges between 1.7-1.8 million.
● Biodiversity - the number and types of organisms present
on earth.
● There is a need to standardise the naming of living
organisms such that a particular organism is known by the
same name all over the world. This process is also called
nomenclature.
● For nomenclature, an organism needs to be described
correctly and to know what organism the name is attached
to is very important. This process is also called
identification.
● Number of scientists have established procedures to
assign a scientific name to each organism.
1. For plants, names are based on agreed principles and
criteria provided in international code for botanical
nomenclature.
2.For animals, taxonomists have evolved international
code for zoological nomenclature,
➔These scientific names ensures that—
★Each organism has only one name.
, ★Description of any organism should enable people in any
part of the world to arrive at the same name.
★Ensure that such a name has not been used for any other
organism.
➔How scientific names are provided to known organisms—
Each name has two components — generic name and
specific epithet.
★Binomial nomenclature – this system of providing a name
with two components is known as binomial nomenclature and
was given by Carolus Linnaeus. It is being practiced by
biologists all over the world because this naming system
using a two word format was found convenient.
For example – the scientific name of mango is Mangifera
indica. Here Mangifera is the genus and indica is a
Particular species or specific epithet.
➔Universal rules of nomenclature –
1) Biological manes are generally in latin and written in
italics.
2)They are latinised or derived from latin irrespective
of their origin.
3)The first word of the biological name represents the
genus and the second word represents the specific
epithet.
4)When handwritten, both the words are separately
underlined.
5)When printed, they are printed in italics to indicate
their latin origin.
❖ DIVERSITY IN THE LIVING WORLD
● Each different kind of plant, animal or organism that we
see,represents a species.
● The number of species that are known and described
ranges between 1.7-1.8 million.
● Biodiversity - the number and types of organisms present
on earth.
● There is a need to standardise the naming of living
organisms such that a particular organism is known by the
same name all over the world. This process is also called
nomenclature.
● For nomenclature, an organism needs to be described
correctly and to know what organism the name is attached
to is very important. This process is also called
identification.
● Number of scientists have established procedures to
assign a scientific name to each organism.
1. For plants, names are based on agreed principles and
criteria provided in international code for botanical
nomenclature.
2.For animals, taxonomists have evolved international
code for zoological nomenclature,
➔These scientific names ensures that—
★Each organism has only one name.
, ★Description of any organism should enable people in any
part of the world to arrive at the same name.
★Ensure that such a name has not been used for any other
organism.
➔How scientific names are provided to known organisms—
Each name has two components — generic name and
specific epithet.
★Binomial nomenclature – this system of providing a name
with two components is known as binomial nomenclature and
was given by Carolus Linnaeus. It is being practiced by
biologists all over the world because this naming system
using a two word format was found convenient.
For example – the scientific name of mango is Mangifera
indica. Here Mangifera is the genus and indica is a
Particular species or specific epithet.
➔Universal rules of nomenclature –
1) Biological manes are generally in latin and written in
italics.
2)They are latinised or derived from latin irrespective
of their origin.
3)The first word of the biological name represents the
genus and the second word represents the specific
epithet.
4)When handwritten, both the words are separately
underlined.
5)When printed, they are printed in italics to indicate
their latin origin.
